Little Falls transcript., 1887-06-10

The next evening Mr.. Terrell came
for her to drive. She did not want to
go, but let herself be persuaded, feeling
too heartsick for anything to matter
much. s.s.s- S... ~.
Once again he offered her the "pur.
pie and fine linen" of life, and seemed
slow to understand that she could SO
obstinateiy refuse what some women
angIed for.
Poor fellow! There was q kind of
pathos about the way he put his
wealth before himself.
If he had read women better he
would have known that if he were
once loved for himself it would not
matter whether he counted his money
by the thousands or by the tens-by
dollars or cents.
While she was nervous and flushed
with annoyance, they met DR.. Holt
on his way to see some country pa
tient.
He attributed her unusual color to
another cause, and, fancying he caught
a look OF triumph in John Terrell's
cold blue eyes, accepted the possible
for the actual-as men OF his sensi-
tive self-distrustful nature are apt
to do-and concluded she had follow
ed his advice and taken "the man
who could provide for her,
STANCE heart of man! He had told
her to doit, and had thought he want
ed her to do it.
And now?
He certainly wanted her to be hap.
py, and he thought he could not make
her so himself. And yet he was con-
sclous Of q terrible pain somewhere in
his breast and a burning desire to
bury John Terrell's blonde beauty
under heap OF his own shining coin.
Lucia and her brother Joe had
lived a happy life together, and in his
fond, unseltish love she had never
missed the father and mother who,
dying during her infancy, had left her
to the tender care Of the crippled boy,
now q sad-eyed, middle aged man.
A sufficient sum had been left for
their support, and kind aunt gave
them q, nome until the little sister " as
old enough to keep house for "Broth-
er joe"
Since then they had never been sep.
arated. AS the days passed on and
Laurence Holt never came again to
the little cottage with the yellowroses
by the gate, Joe noticed how sad and
listless Lucia grew, although she tried
so bravely to be merry and gay as OF
old.
He asked no questions. for he knew
that, while we can sometimes rest
weary limbs, it is hard to know what
to do with tired hearts.
One day some one mentioned,
among other gossip, the departure OF
DR.. Fclt for New Mexico, and added,
by ways Of comment: "He was al
way a restless sort of fellow--didn' t
seem to care for any body in the world,
not even himself. They say he has
gone for good"
For weeks after this Lucia went
about the house with stunned, help
less look in her eyes like q hurt ami
NAL that does not Understand why it
has been wounded.
The summer passed, and with the
early autumn days she grew
restless. Coming to Joe one evening
she put her arms around his neck as
in her baby days. and told him that
she wanted some work to do, some
thing to keep her busy I'll the time.
"Couldn't she gather around her a
little kindergarten class OF children
and try to fill up her life with duties?'
He knew that duties were cold, un-
satisfactory things when the heart
was crying out for something alive
and warm, but he let her have her
way, and as day safter day she stud
led deeper into child-life, and saw
how in ministering to these little
ones we are in turn ministered to, she
grew more content and less impatient
OF life.
4 x
One bright spring morning, two
years later, the brother and sister sat
on their porch, watching the flowers
grow," Lucia said.
Presently Joe got up and limped to
the steps. Lucia, do you see that
peculiar little cloud youder,? l should
not be surprised If we had a storm OF
some kind to-day"
"Oh, Joe, the idea! Why, the sun
never did shine so bright. | feel al
most like a little child again this
morning, and / know it is this deli.
ciOus sunshine
II hope nothing will come to shut it
out, then, dear, if it makes you hap.
py." And he Looked at her with q
tender little smile.
The girl jumped up impulsively and
kissed his worn cheek, whispering,
You make me happy all the time,
joe"
Before the day was over his pro-
phecy came true. a wild storm came
up, one of those sudden furies OF light
ming, wind and rain peculiar to our
Texas climate, that interrupts the sun
for few moments, strikes the tarth
a single passionate blow and returns
to it's home among the clouds, leav-
ing nature bruised and smarting from
the stroke. The southbound train
had come in in the midst OF the gale,
and few hours later g. message was
brought to Lucia Grey.
But one passenger had left the cars,
and as he stepped across the platform
he stopped one moment to gaze up at
the frowninR heavens. AS he looked a
fiery, zigzag line cut the sul!en blue OF
the sky, gathered itself INTO a lur;d
ball of dancing, purplish flame-lights
and burst amid q grand discord OF
thunder, wind and rain. When the
ciamor OF the elements ceased those
inside the depot rushed out to see
where the bolt had fallen.
They found some OF the men who
had been grouped outside thrown to
the ground, few stunned, and one,
the passenger from the southbound
tram, struck dead.
When carried to the hotel he was re.
cognized as Laurence Holt.
In his pocket was a letter with the
address sTTo he uivor in oaco of mn